W-shaped winged spring clip with integral 4-way locator

ABSTRACT

A spring clip includes a body having (a) a base, (b) a support post carried on the base, (c) a first cantilever bar carried on the support post, (d) a second cantilever bar carried on the support post and (e) a 4-way locator fixed to the base on one side of the support post.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This document relates generally to the fastener field and, moreparticularly, to a new and improved W-shaped winged spring clip with anintegral 4-way locator that is particularly useful in automotiveapplications to connect plastic parts to sheet metal.

BACKGROUND

Various types of fasteners including, for example, bolts/nuts, metalclips, plastic clips or the like may be utilized to secure a plasticpart to a substrate such as a sheet metal part. Significantly, everyadded fastener increases the part cost and weight of the assembly. Morespecifically, fastener usage requires additional operations at theassembly plant or at the plastic part manufacturer and every additionaloperation increases the required manpower, process cost and productiontime. In addition, each fastener has a risk of producing squeaks andrattles. Further, added, separate fasteners have the risk of beingmissing or mismatched during assembly.

This document relates to a new and improved W-shaped winged spring clipwith an integral 4-way locator. Advantageously, the spring clip includesdoubled blocked lateral wings or cantilever bars structured to dissipatestress concentrations. The spring clip eliminates the need foradditional, separate fasteners thereby reducing the weight and cost ofthe assembly. It also provides a robust and stronger, more durable jointclamping between a plastic part and a sheet metal part while maintainingproper position and alignment through assembly and vehicle operation andsubstantially eliminating the risk of squeaks and rattles.

The spring clip also includes reinforcing ribs or gussets that add extrastrength. Further, the spring clip has a low insertion effort andfunctions to locate, lock and retain parts together in a single snappingaction.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a springclip is provided. That spring clip comprises a body having (a) a base,(b) a support post carried on the base, (c) a first cantilever barcarried on the support post, (d) a second cantilever bar carried on thesupport post and (e) a 4-way locator fixed to the base on one side ofthe support post.

The 4-way locator may include a first beveled sidewall. Further, the4-way locator may include a second beveled sidewall. In addition, the4-way locator may include a first tunable rib between the first beveledsidewall and the second beveled sidewall. That first tunable rib mayproject outwardly from the first beveled sidewall and the second beveledsidewall.

More specifically, the first beveled sidewall may have a first edgebevel while the second beveled sidewall may have a second edge bevel.The first edge bevel may be aligned with the second edge bevel. Further,the first tunable rib may have a first support edge wherein the firstsupport edge is spaced a first distance D₁ from the base and the firstedge bevel and the second edge bevel are both spaced a second distanceD₂ from the base wherein D₁<D₂.

In addition the base may include a second tunable rib carried on thebase adjacent a first distal end of the first cantilever bar and a thirdtunable rib carried on the base adjacent a second distal end of thesecond cantilever bar. The second tunable rib has a second support edgeand the third tunable rib has a third support edge wherein the secondsupport edge and the third support edge are both spaced the firstdistance D₁ from the base.

Still further, the first distal end may include a first double blockednotch and the second distal end may include a second double blockednotch. More specifically, the first double blocked notch may include afirst midpoint angle and a first radiused face. Similarly, the seconddouble blocked notch may include a second midpoint angle and a secondradiused face. The first radiused face and the second radiused face areboth spaced a third distance D₃ from the base where D₁<D₂<D₃.

The first cantilever bar may also include a first bend adjacent thepost. Further, the first cantilever bar may form a first neck with thesupport post. In addition, a first gusset may extend inside the firstbend inside the first neck.

Similarly, the second cantilever bar may include a second bend adjacentthe post. The second cantilever bar may also form a second neck with thesupport post. Further, a second gusset may extend inside the second bendinside the second neck.

Still further, the spring clip may include a third gusset extendingoutside the first bend and the second bend between the first cantileverbar, the second cantilever bar and the support post. The three gussetsfunction together to strengthen the spring clip.

In the following description, there are shown and described severalpreferred embodiments of the spring clip. As it should be realized, thespring clip is capable of other, different embodiments and its severaldetails are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects allwithout departing from the spring clip as set forth and described in thefollowing claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should beregarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a partof the specification, illustrate several aspects of the spring clip andtogether with the description serve to explain certain principlesthereof. In the drawing figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the W-shaped winged spring clipincorporating an integral 4-way locator.

FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of the 4-way locator of the springclip illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detailed side elevational view illustrating the threegussets that are used to strengthen and reinforce the first cantileverbar and second cantilever bar of the spring clip body.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view providing a relative comparison of thecross-sectional area of the third gusset versus the first and secondcantilever bars and the support post.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views illustrating how the spring clip,illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, is utilized to secure a plastic part to aworkpiece such as a sheet metal body component. FIG. 5 illustrates howthe spring clip on the plastic part is aligned with a receiving aperturein the sheet metal body component. FIG. 6 clearly shows the plastic partsecured to the sheet metal body component by the spring clip.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodimentof the spring clip, illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating the spring clip 10.The spring clip 10 includes a body 12 having a base 14 and a supportpost 16 carried on the base. A first cantilever bar 18 is carried on thesupport post 16. A second cantilever bar 20 is also carried on thesupport post 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the first cantilever bar18 is oriented so as to be opposed to the second cantilever bar 20.

In addition, the body 12 includes a 4-way locator 22 which is fixed tothe base 14 on one side of the support post 16. The body 12 may bemolded from a single piece of plastic or composite material so that thebase 14, support post 16, first cantilever bar 18, second cantilever bar20 and 4-way locator 22 are integral with one another.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the 4-way locator 22 includes a firstbeveled sidewall 24, a second beveled sidewall 26 and a first tunablerib 28 between the first beveled sidewall and the second beveledsidewall. More specifically, the first tunable rib 28 projectsoutwardly, away from the support post 16, the first beveled sidewall 24and the second beveled sidewall 26.

As clearly illustrated in FIG. 2, the first beveled sidewall 24 has afirst edge bevel 30 and the second beveled sidewall 26 has a second edgebevel 32. In the illustrated embodiment the first edge bevel 30 and thesecond edge bevel 32 are aligned.

The first tunable rib 28 has a first support edge 34. The first supportedge 34 is spaced a first distance D₁ from the base 14. In contrast, thefirst edge bevel 30 and the second edge bevel 32 are both spaced asecond distance D₂ from the base 14. The distance D₁<D₂.

As best illustrated in FIG. 1, the base 14 also includes a secondtunable rib 36 that is carried on the base adjacent a first distal end38 of the first cantilever bar 18 and a third tunable rib 40 carried onthe base adjacent a second distal end 42 of the second cantilever bar20. As shown, the second tunable rib 36 has a second support edge 44 andthe third tunable rib 40 has a third support edge 46. The second edge 44and the third support edge 46 are both spaced the first distance D₁ fromthe base 14.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the first distal end 38 of thefirst cantilever bar 18 includes a first double blocked notch 48.Similarly, the second distal end 42 of the second cantilever bar 20includes a second double blocked notch 50. The first double blockednotch 48 includes a first midpoint angle 52 and a first radiused face 54so that the first double blocked notch 48 has a substantially V-shape.Similarly, the second double blocked notch 50 includes a second midpointangle 56 and a second radiused face 58 so that the second double blockednotch 50 is a substantially V-shaped configuration. The first radiusedface 54 and the second radiused face 58 are spaced a third distance D₃from the base 14 where D₁<D₂<D₃. The difference in the third distance D₃and the second distance D₂ is approximately equal to the thickness ofthe workpiece or sheet metal body component W2 to which the spring clip10 is to be connected.

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the first cantilever bar 18 includes afirst bend 60 adjacent the support post 16. As clearly illustrated inFIG. 3, the first cantilever bar 18 forms a first neck 62 with thesupport post 16. A first gusset 64 extends inside the first bend 60between the support post 16 and the first cantilever bar 18 inside thefirst neck 62.

Similarly, the second cantilever bar 20 includes a second bend 66adjacent the support post 16. Further, the second cantilever bar 20forms a second neck 68 with the support post 16. A second gusset 70extends inside the second bend 66 between the support post 16 and thesecond cantilever bar 20 inside the second neck 68.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a third gusset 72 extendsoutside the first bend 62 and the second bend 66 between the firstcantilever bar 18, the second cantilever bar 20 and the support post 16.As should be appreciated, the first gusset 64, the second gusset 70 andthe third gusset 72 are not as thick as the first cantilever bar 18, thesecond cantilever bar 20 and the support post 16 and, therefore, have asmaller cross-sectional area. As a result, while the first gusset 64 andthird gusset 72 increase the strength of the first cantilever bar 18 andthe second gusset 70 and the third gusset 72 increase the strength ofthe second cantilever bar 20, the gussets still allow for the necessarybending and flexing of the first and second cantilever bars to allow thespring clip 10 to be used as a resilient connector or fastener between aworkpiece W1 and a sheet metal body component W2 (See FIGS. 5-6).

More specifically, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, thespring clip 10 is integrally molded as a part of the plastic workpieceW1. When one wishes to connect the plastic workpiece W1 to the sheetmetal component W2, one aligns the top of the body 12 with the mountingaperture A in the sheet metal component. As illustrated in FIG. 5, themounting aperture A is substantially T-shaped. As the spring clip 10 isinserted into the mounting aperture A the 4-way locator 22 ensuresproper alignment and orientation of the plastic workpiece W1 with thesheet metal component W2. More specifically, the first beveled sidewall24 and the second beveled sidewall 26 engage the edges E1, E2 of theaperture A ensuring proper orientation along the X axis. At the sametime, first edge bevel 30 and the second edge bevel 32 of the firstbeveled sidewall 24 and second beveled sidewall 26 engage the edge E3 ofthe aperture A and the face 74 of the support post 16 opposite the 4-wayconnector 22 (see FIG. 3) engages the edge E4 of the aperture to ensureproper orientation along the Y axis thereby providing full 4-way locatorfunction.

As the spring clip 10 is further inserted into the aperture A, the camsurface 76 of the first cantilever bar 18 engages the edge E5 of theaperture A while the cam surface 78 on the second cantilever bar 20engages the edge E6 of the aperture A. This causes the resilient firstcantilever bar 18 and resilient second cantilever bar 20 to flex aboutthe respective first bend 60 and second bend 66 and pivot inwardlytoward the support post 16. Just as the first support edge 34 of thefirst tunable rib 28, the second support edge 44 of the second tunablerib 37 and the third support edge 46 of the third tunable rib 40 comeinto contact with the face of the sheet metal component W2, the camfaces of 74, 76 clear the sheet metal component W2 and the first andsecond cantilever bars 18, 20 spring outwardly away from the supportpost 16 about the first and second bends 60, 66 with the sheet metalcomponent W2 being now received and fully seated in the first and seconddouble blocked notches 48, 50.

As should be appreciated, in this fully seated position, the margin ofthe sheet metal component W2 provided around the aperture A iseffectively captured between the first cantilever bar 18 and secondcantilever bar 20 on one side and the first, second and third supportedges 34, 44, 46 on the other. As noted earlier the distance gap betweenD₂ and D₃ substantially corresponds to the thickness of the sheet metalcomponent W2 so as to accommodate the connection between the parts W1and W2 with the spring clip 10. Thus, it should be appreciated that theheight of the ribs 28, 36 and 40 may be adjusted or tuned in order toprovide a good, rattle free connection between the workpiece W1 and thesheet metal component W2.

Should it ever become necessary to disconnect the workpiece W1 from thesheet metal component W2 for service or any other reason, it is possibleto pry the workpiece W1 away from the sheet metal component and overcomethe resilient holding power of the spring clip 10. When this is done,the ends E3, E4 of the mounting aperture A slide up the radiused faces54, 58 of the notches 48, 50 causing the two cantilever bars 18, 20 tobend slightly inward toward the support post 16 until the aperture isfree of the notches to allow easy separation.

The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theembodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications andvariations are possible in light of the above teachings. All suchmodifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claimswhen interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they arefairly, legally and equitably entitled.

What is claimed:
 1. A spring clip, comprising: a body having (a) a base,(b) a support post carried on said base and extending upwardly from saidbase, (c) a first cantilever bar carried on said support post, (d) asecond cantilever bar carried on said support post and (e) a 4-waylocator fixed to said base on one side of said support post, whereinsaid 4-way locator includes a first tunable rib, and wherein said baseincludes a second tunable rib carried on said base adjacent a firstdistal end of said first cantilever bar and a third tunable rib carriedon said base adjacent a second distal end of said second cantilever bar.2. The spring clip of claim 1, wherein said 4-way locator includes afirst beveled sidewall.
 3. The spring clip of claim 2, wherein said4-way locator includes a second beveled sidewall.
 4. The spring clip ofclaim 3, wherein said first tunable rib is located between said firstbeveled sidewall and said second beveled sidewall.
 5. The spring clip ofclaim 4, wherein said first tunable rib projects outwardly from saidfirst beveled sidewall and said second beveled sidewall.
 6. The springclip of claim 5, wherein said first beveled sidewall has a first edgebevel and said second beveled sidewall has a second edge bevel whereinsaid first edge bevel is aligned with said second edge bevel.
 7. Thespring clip of claim 6, wherein said first tunable rib has a firstsupport edge wherein said first support edge is spaced a first distanceD₁ from said base and said first edge bevel and said second edge bevelare both spaced a second distance D₂ from said base wherein D₁<D₂. 8.The spring clip of claim 7, wherein said second tunable rib has a secondsupport edge and said third tunable rib has a third support edge whereinsaid second support edge and said third support edge are both spacedsaid first distance D₁ from said base.
 9. The spring clip of claim 8,wherein said first distal end includes a first double blocked notch andsaid second distal end includes a second double blocked notch.
 10. Thespring clip of claim 9, wherein said first double blocked notch includesa first midpoint angle and a first radiused face.
 11. The spring clip ofclaim 10, wherein said second double blocked notch includes a secondmidpoint angle and a second radiused face.
 12. The spring clip of claim11, wherein said first radiused face and said second radiused face arespaced a third distance D₃ from said base where D₁<D₂<D₃.
 13. The springclip of claim 12, wherein said first cantilever bar includes a firstbend adjacent said support post.
 14. The spring clip of claim 13,wherein said first cantilever bar forms a first neck with said supportpost.
 15. The spring clip of claim 14, further including a first gussetextending inside said first bend inside said first neck.
 16. The springclip of claim 15, wherein said second cantilever bar includes a secondbend adjacent said support post.
 17. The spring clip of claim 16,wherein said second cantilever bar forms a second neck with said supportpost.
 18. The spring clip of claim 17, further including a second gussetextending inside said second bend inside said second neck.
 19. Thespring clip of claim 18, further including a third gusset extendingoutside said first bend and said second bend between said firstcantilever bar, said second cantilever bar and said support post.